Medical professionals need techniques that will help them diagnose diseases before debilitating symptoms begin to manifest in patients. Point of care testing, or bedside testing, enables rapid diagnostic tests to be performed at a patient's bedside.

Benefits include:

Immediate data, which can be interpreted by nurse or trained technician

Decreased cost and effort, which could dramatically increase frequency of patient testing

Cost-effective method to produce patient biomarker profile

Dr. Bashir's lab has invented a label-free, electronic method for quantifying various biomarkers from blood. This method may be incorporated into a portable handheld device which enables healthcare professionals to perform complete blood count diagnostics at the point of patient care. Key advantages over existing competing technology include versatility, scalability, and decreased cost of production.

Prof. Oelze from the University of Illinois has developed a novel technique of processing ultrasound images which will improve the spatial resolution by a factor of 6.9 (at least) over the diffraction limited approaches. It will also provide significant noise reduction.

Dr. Boppart from the University of Illinois has developed new computational algorithms to improve Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) imaging. This will provide surgeons with a better view of cancerous tissue and allow improved treatment of numerous diseases.

CT scanners are gathering more data than ever, far exceeding the ability of the hardware and software to process and analyze the data and consequently slowing down diagnosis. This is becoming a more serious issue as the field moves from fan-beam (2-D and spiral) to cone-beam (fast volumetric or 3-D) acquisition. These algorithms were developed to address this problem. This suite of patented and patent-pending algorithms reconstructs tomographic images for standard (i.e., 2-D) and volumetric (i.e., 3-D) CT scans 10 to 100 times faster than conventional methods for typical image sizes, lowering scanning costs, increasing throughput, enabling improved image quality, and freeing up precious computer resources.

Fast Hierarchical Backprojection Method for Imaging

This method involves backprojecting a sinogram to a tomographic image by subdividing it into subsinograms corresponding to subimages as small as a single pixel. The subsinograms are backprojected to produce corresponding subimages, and the subimages then are aggregated to create the full tomographic image. As with several of the algorithms described above, speed is greatly enhanced through the use of an approximate decomposition algorithm.

Fast Hierarchical Backprojection for 3-D Radon Transform

With this method, data from a 3-D sinogram are backprojected to form a 3-D volume. An input sinogram is subdivided into subsinograms, which are further subdivided until they represent volumes as small as a single voxel. The subvolumes then are aggregated to form a final volume. Again, this algorithm combines an accurate but slow subdivision algorithm with a faster but less accurate subdivision algorithm, reaching an accurate result quickly.

This family of native divergent beam algorithms can be used to reconstruct all divergent-beam tomographic data, including single- and multi-slice 2-D fan-beam and 3-D cone-beam with arbitrary scan trajectories, including single circle and spiral trajectories for short and long objects. The algorithms operate directly on the data without prior rebinning to parallel beam projections. Both reprojection and backprojection functions are available.

The method involves decomposing an image into one or more subimages, reprojecting the subimages into sinograms (i.e., arrays of numbers), scaling the sinograms, and aggregating the subimage sinograms into a single sinogram of the entire image.

Fast Hierarchical Reprojection Algorithm for Tomography

This variation on the above reprojection method combines an exact algorithm, which is accurate but slow, with an approximation algorithm, which is less accurate but fast, to create an accurate result in a short time.

Fast Hierarchical Reprojection Algorithm for 3-D Radon Transforms

This algorithm is based on 3-D radon transform, which is a mathematical model used in volumetric imaging. It begins by dividing the 3-D image into subvolumes as small as a single voxel. These subvolumes then are reprojected at various orientations to form subsinograms. The subsinograms are then successively aggregated and processed to form a full sinogram for the initial volume. Like the previous algorithm, this technology combines a highly accurate slow subdivision algorithm with a faster but less accurate subdivision algorithm to quickly obtain an accurate result.

Applications

Qualified companies are invited to license the algorithms as well as enter into agreements that will allow evaluation and suitable modifications to the algorithms that may be necessary for use in specific applications.

Micro CT scanners: Small-animal scans for drug assays in the pharmaceutical industry or for other biomedical research

Industrial Imaging: By reconstructing tomograms faster than do previous methods, these algorithms dramatically increase the number of items that can be scanned per hour (i.e., throughput), eliminating the "image reconstruction bottleneck" and significantly reducing manufacturing/ inspections costs. These algorithms can be used with any industry inspection using CT scans:

Security Imaging: The faster imaging speeds enabled by these algorithms will offer dramatic improvements in 3-D CT inspection of baggage or containers for the detection of weapons, explosives, or other hazardous materials. This will be a tremendous benefit as U.S. airports strive to meet new federal baggage inspection requirements.

Reduced scanning costs: Faster image reconstruction leads to higher throughput, which significantly reduces the per-scan cost. In addition, incorporating the algorithms significantly reduces the cost of the reconstruction computer required to satisfy the speed requirements, usually eliminating the need for special-purpose hardware acceleration.

Improved image quality: The algorithms enable the use of more powerful reconstruction and artifact correction methods (e.g., iterative techniques) than currently feasible, producing more accurate images.

Increased availability of computer resources: More efficient reconstruction requires less computational resources for image processing, making more computing power available for enhanced image analysis.

Superior to other methods: Other software-based acceleration methods have poor efficiency and image quality; the University's algorithms overcome these problems. And unlike hardware-based acceleration methods, the University's algorithms can enjoy the year-to-year speed improvements in general-purpose computers, achieving even faster image reconstruction without any additional development costs. At the same time, they are adaptable to special purpose hardware implementations if such are desired to meet extreme speed requirements.

These optical contrast agents and molecular detection technologies were developed to enhance the ability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to non-invasively map molecules in living specimens and diagnose disease where it starts. OCT utilizes low-coherence interferometry to measure the intensity of reflected or backscattered light to form images with micrometer resolution, is readily integrated with existing optical instrumentation and has application across a wide range of biological, medical, surgical, and non-biological specialties.

Molecular Detection Technology

Nonlinear Interferometric Vibrational Imaging (NIVI) NIVI offers unmatched capabilities in biomedical imaging by performing non-invasive three-dimensional molecular imaging of living specimens and tissue. This imaging platform interferometrically detects nonlinear optical signals based on the vibrational states of atomic bonds within target molecules and may be used for diagnostics and for delivery of focused ablative treatment.

Benefits:

Images a range of molecular species simultaneously with a single instrument

Requires no exogenous labels to detect specific molecules

Permits precise density determination without background signals

Allows 3-D discrimination of molecular density and enhancement

Fiber Optic OCT

OCT Enhanced Biopsy Needle This concept-proven device provides manufacturers of soft tissue biopsy needles with the option to integrate a fiber optic OCT light delivery and measurement apparatus into the needle tip. By monitoring the optical properties of tissue via this new imaging needle, clinicians can improve the accuracy of both tumor localization and diagnosis.

Measure refractive index and attenuation of sample in-vivo in real time

Compatible with standard biopsy and OCT systems

OCT Imaging Algorithm

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Microscopy (ISAM) ISAM offers revolutionary technology advancement in OCT and other microscopy methods. With a single pass, the algorithm is able to extend the range over which devices can scan an image by integrating data taken from non-focal point areas in addition to the focal region. Integration of the ISAM technology into catheters or arterial imaging devices would add significant value above the existing image rendering paradigms.

Benefits:

Produces functional imagery from formerly unusable data

Maintains quality resolution in high depth-of-field and 3-D applications

Tolerates errors in defocus

Employs digital processing to compensate for instrument and user error

Optical Contrast Agents: Plasmon-Resonant Nanoparticles

This class of nanospheres and nanorods exhibit tunable plasmon resonances and can be engineered to specific sizes with strong absorption or scattering at select wavelengths - most notably the near-infrared range - for enhancing the sensitivity and scope of OCT.

Optical Contrast Agents for Optically Modifying Incident Radiation

Magnetically & Electrically Inducible Modulated Agents Iron-oxide in microspheres, on nanorods, or as free nanoparticles offers researchers and users precise control over contrast agent position within a sample and orientation within tissue. The magnetic agents can be manufactured to a variety of sizes and can enhance OCT data. Similarly, electrically-inducible particles are capable of altering the spectral characteristics of incident radiation.

While the majority of contrast agents are engineered to alter the intensity of backscattered light, this class of near-infrared dyes was designed to transform spectral wavelength, making in situ and in vivo three-dimensional imaging a reality

Nonlinear Interferometric Vibrational Imaging (NIVI) NIVI offers unmatched capabilities in biomedical imaging by performing non-invasive three-dimensional molecular imaging of living specimens and tissue. This imaging platform interferometrically detects nonlinear optical signals based on the vibrational states of atomic bonds within target molecules and may be used for diagnostics and for delivery of focused ablative treatment.

Developed as part of a portfolio of optical contrast agents and molecular detection technologies that enhance the ability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to non-invasively map molecules in living specimens and diagnose disease where it starts. OCT utilizes low-coherence interferometry to measure the intensity of reflected or backscattered light to form images with micrometer resolution, is readily integrated with existing optical instrumentation and has application across a wide range of biological, medical, surgical, and non-biological specialties.

Benefits:

Images a range of molecular species simultaneously with a single instrument

Requires no exogenous labels to detect specific molecules

Permits precise density determination without background signals

Allows 3-D discrimination of molecular density and enhancement

Provides 2D and 3D imaging of biological tissues, showing both molecular information and structural information. These measurements could provide clinical diagnostic value without requiring a biopsy. These innovations offer better sensitivity, better false signal rejection, and more flexibility than CARS microscopes, and can potentially be much cheaper and easier to operate.

A set of CARS (Coherent Anti-stokes Raman Spectroscopy) related inventions that efficiently enable in vivo three-dimensional imaging of biological tissues without added stains or markers. The features examined are actually the density of molecules in tissue with particular molecular ro-vibrational features. This is a major improvement over NIVI (Non-linear Interferometric Vibrational Imaging).

Determination of both structural and chemical attributes of biological tissues either as biopsy or in vivo.

This portfolio of optical contrast agents and molecular detection technologies were developed to enhance the ability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to non-invasively map molecules in living specimens and diagnose disease where it starts. OCT utilizes low-coherence interferometry to measure the intensity of reflected or backscattered light to form images with micrometer resolution, is readily integrated with existing optical instrumentation and has application across a wide range of biological, medical, surgical, and non-biological specialties.

This class of nanospheres and nanorods exhibit tunable plasmon resonances and can be engineered to specific sizes with strong absorption or scattering at select wavelengths - most notably the near-infrared range - for enhancing the sensitivity and scope of OCT.

This invention is a new method for real time cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging that produces high-spatial and temporal resolution motion movies of the beating heart non-invasively using a MRI scanner, even in the presence of breathing.

MRI's use in the cardiovascular system has been limited. The basic challenge in cardiac MRI is posed by the dynamic motion of the imaged object during the MR data acquisition; unless special methods are adopted this produces unwanted artifacts in the reconstructed MR images in the presence of physiological motion. Also, instead of simply capturing "snap-shot" images one could reconstruct a dynamic movie of the moving object, providing further information of possible diagnostic value.

Methods designed to deal with the motion of objects caused by the beating of the heart and respiration can be classified into three categories: 1) general fast imaging approaches 2) methods dealing with respiration-induces motion 3) methods dealing with cardiac-induced motion This technology improves on the existing methods in several ways.

Does not require breath holding, and the drawbacks associated with it.

Acquires data throughout the respiratory cycle and can reconstruct real-time images of a cardiac slice.

Uses estimates of the respiration-induced motion to select the ideal set of MR data to be acquired and thus reduces the complexity of the reconstruction algorithm while improving the reconstruction quality.

Uses a more accurate motion model for respiratory motion to produce still and moving images with fewer artifacts and wider applicability.

Compensates for affine respiration-induce motion exactly. It can also optimize the MR acquisition and reconstruction process and can produce a motion-movie of the dynamically beating heart.

Does not assume cardiac cyclicity, acquires data throughout the heartbeat and can produce real-time cardiac motion movies.

Explicitly models the effects of both cardiac and respiration-induced motion effects and hence overcome the drawbacks of these models.

Benefits

Easy to integrate - This system can be combined with pre-existing static and dynamic MR imaging methods to make them insensitive to affine respiratory motion and tolerant of more general (non-affine) respiratory motion.

Improved image quality - The quality of dynamic cardiac reconstructions obtainable by MR scanners is improved in current applications by reducing image artifacts. Also improves the MR imaging (MRI) of other organs (such as the liver) whose images are otherwise degraded by respiratory motion Extends clinical applications of cardiac MRI - Improves the spatial and temporal resolution and enables real time 3-D imaging.

Helps more people - Increases the reach of cardiac MR to a larger set of patients by eliminating constraints imposed by breath-holding requirements.

These patent-pending optical contrast agents and molecular detection technologies were developed to enhance the ability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to non-invasively map molecules in living specimens and diagnose disease where it starts. OCT utilizes low-coherence interferometry to measure the intensity of reflected or backscattered light to form images with micrometer resolution, is readily integrated with existing optical instrumentation and has application across a wide range of biological, medical, surgical, and non-biological specialties.

While the majority of contrast agents are engineered to alter the intensity of backscattered light, this class of near-infrared dyes was designed to transform spectral wavelength, making in situ and in vivo three-dimensional imaging a reality

These patent-pending optical contrast agents and molecular detection technologies were developed to enhance the ability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to non-invasively map molecules in living specimens and diagnose disease where it starts. OCT utilizes low-coherence interferometry to measure the intensity of reflected or backscattered light to form images with micrometer resolution, is readily integrated with existing optical instrumentation and has application across a wide range of biological, medical, surgical, and non-biological specialties.

Molecular Detection Technology

Nonlinear Interferometric Vibrational Imaging (NIVI) NIVI offers unmatched capabilities in biomedical imaging by performing non-invasive three-dimensional molecular imaging of living specimens and tissue. This imaging platform interferometrically detects nonlinear optical signals based on the vibrational states of atomic bonds within target molecules and may be used for diagnostics and for delivery of focused ablative treatment.

Benefits

Images a range of molecular species simultaneously with a single instrument

Requires no exogenous labels to detect specific molecules

Permits precise density determination without background signals

Allows 3-D discrimination of molecular density and enhancement

Fiber Optic OCT

OCT Enhanced Biopsy Needle: This concept-proven device provides manufacturers of soft tissue biopsy needles with the option to integrate a fiber optic OCT light delivery and measurement apparatus into the needle tip. By monitoring the optical properties of tissue via this new imaging needle, clinicians can improve the accuracy of both tumor localization and diagnosis.

Benefits

Measure refractive index and attenuation of sample in-vivo in real time

Compatible with standard biopsy and OCT systems

Broad Focus OCT Imaging Algorithm

Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Microscopy (ISAM) ISAM offers revolutionary technology advancement in OCT and other microscopy methods. With a single pass, the algorithm is able to extend the range over which devices can scan an image by integrating data taken from non-focal point areas in addition to the focal region. Integration of the ISAM technology into catheters or arterial imaging devices would add significant value above the existing image rendering paradigms.

Benefits

Produces functional imagery from formerly unusable data

Maintains quality resolution in high depth-of-field and 3-D applications

Tolerates errors in defocus

Employs digital processing to compensate for instrument and user error

Optical Contrast Agents

Plasmon-Resonant Nanoparticles: This class of nanospheres and nanorods exhibit tunable plasmon resonances and can be engineered to specific sizes with strong absorption or scattering at select wavelengths - most notably the near-infrared range - for enhancing the sensitivity and scope of OCT.

Benefits

Perform diagnostic and therapeutic functions

Capable of targeting specific cells and cell structures

Tunable optical properties

Variable resonance depending on particle orientation

Optical Contrast Agents for Optically Modifying Incident Radiation

Magnetically & Electrically Inducible Modulated Agents: Iron-oxide in microspheres, on nanorods, or as free nanoparticles offers researchers and users precise control over contrast agent position within a sample and orientation within tissue. The magnetic agents can be manufactured to a variety of sizes and can enhance OCT data. Similarly, electrically-inducible particles are capable of altering the spectral characteristics of incident radiation.

Benefits

Wavelength- & Media- specific optimization

Modifiable protein coat

Non-toxic biocompatibility for in-vivo applications

Optical Contrast Agents

Near-Infrared Dyes for Structural and Spectroscopic OCT: While the majority of contrast agents are engineered to alter the intensity of backscattered light, this class of near-infrared dyes was designed to transform spectral wavelength, making in situ and in vivo three-dimensional imaging a reality.